Release
by hazelnut81
Summary: One-shot...Dante is released from the hospital.


_Background Info/Author's Note: Just a one-shot. I have absolutely no medical knowledge so I have taken liberties in assuming that Dante will be out of the hospital in three weeks total give or take. So therefore, this one-shot takes place about three weeks after Dante was shot._ _This is kinda long for a one-shot. I could have posted in two parts but it was just easier to post as one. That way people can stop and pick up as they choose. This deserves a graphic warning, so...be warned if that stuff bothers you. Honesty appreciated :)_

* * *

Lulu walked into Dante's hospital room and smiled when she saw him with his head tilted to the side on the pillow, his eyes closed. She moved towards the bed and just silently watched the slow rise and fall of his chest, trying to ignore the hitch in her breath when she realized how close she was to never seeing that simple yet fundamental movement ever again.

Instinctively, she reached out and softly brushed aside a strand of his hair from his forehead. She heard his sigh and then his eyes opened to meet hers. The slow smile he gave her had her feeling the flutters in the pit of her stomach she was getting used to the more and more time she spent with him.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." She went to move her hand away from his head but he reached up and instead closed his own hand around hers.

"I wouldn't mind waking up to your beautiful face every day." When Lulu just smiled, Dante lowered their hands to rest on the bed, not willing to let her go just yet. With his head, he gestured towards her other hand. "What's in the bag?"

"Thought you might want a break from the hospital food today. Picked up some Italian on my way here."

Lulu laughed at the immediate interest flashing on Dante's face. "You're easy to please."

"Only when you're doing the pleasing."

"Oh, you ain't seen nothing yet," she replied teasingly. Dante just licked his lips in response as his eyes seared hers.

Lulu finally slipped her hand out from his when he loosened his grip and pulled out the two small containers and utensils from the bag, setting them on the tray beside the bed. "I kept it simple - capellini pomodoro or chicken fettuccine?"

He patted the bed next to him until Lulu sat down with a smile. "We can share. But I'll start with the fettuccine." She pulled the tray closer and they finally dug into the food.

Dante kept stealing glances at Lulu as they ate. For the past three weeks she had been here every day with him. He remembered the moment he opened his eyes after his surgery to see her at his bedside. His lifeline. He had seen Lulu wear so many emotions during his time in the hospital - anger at what put him here, worry, fear, relief, protectiveness, most of all love. All on his behalf and that's what shook him the most. He wasn't expecting to be hit with this intense love for another person and from another person, but there it was. And he'd be damned if he was going to let go of that now after everything they'd been through and the times they had almost lost each other.

Lulu swallowed another bite of the pasta. "You look pensive," she said with a smile.

Dante's eyes moved to the corner of her mouth where there was a little drop of pasta sauce that hadn't quite made its way into her mouth. "Just thinking about how good that looks."

"Want a taste?"

"Yes," he responded, and when she moved to push the tray closer towards him, he instead pushed it completely out of the way, smiling at the look of confusion flashing over Lulu's face. He leaned forward just enough that he could reach out and move his hand to the back of her head, flinching just a little at the twinge in his chest that the action caused. Confusion turned to concern when Lulu saw the momentary pain in his eyes but he ignored it and brought her face even closer to his. She scooted further up on the bed so he could get back into a more comfortable position. She opened her mouth to say something but the words released on a breath as Dante's tongue traced her lower lips slowly and then licked up the pasta sauce.

"Delicious," he said in a low voice before pressing his lips against hers, his tongue passing through the seam of her lips and finding hers. Chills spread through her body as she felt his hand tighten in her hair and his mouth moved more insistently against her own. It was the kind of kiss that started out slow and exploratory but gradually moved towards passionate and urgent. Frustration at being in this hospital bed for three weeks kicked at him and was released in this kiss. He didn't think he had ever wanted anything more than he wanted Lulu.

The sound of the door opening had them pulling apart breathlessly. Lulu took a shaky breath, trying to recover from that kiss when she saw Dante's entire body stiffen and a hardness come across his face. She turned her head to the door and felt that same stiffening in her spine and anger bubbling to the surface as she saw Sonny step inside the room. He looked hesitant, likely because each previous time he had attempted to visit Dante he had been shut down. Rightfully so.

"Not a good time," Dante said shortly.

Lulu saw Dante's hand bunch up the sheets next to him in a fist so she reached out with her hand and covered his with her own. He turned his hand over so his palm was facing outwards and linked his fingers with hers, shooting her a grateful look before turning back towards Sonny.

"How many times do you want me to say I want nothing to do with you?"

"I need to find some way to make this right."

"You don't make shooting your son right," Lulu said angrily. "You can't come back from that one, Sonny."

"I didn't know--" he started.

"That I was your son. Broken record, Sonny. But I guess if I wasn't, that would have been alright." Despite the dark and conflicting emotions swirling inside of him, he felt some of the tension slowly ebb away as Lulu began lightly stroking his hand with her thumb. "Genetics is our only connection. I'm not your son in any way that matters and you'll never be anyone I respect or would be proud to call father."

"Sonny, you need to leave," Lulu said firmly.

"I can't just walk away from my son," Sonny insisted.

"God, you don't get it. I still can't believe I ever defended you. But my blinders are off, Sonny. I see _exactly_ who you are. You're a coward who instead of taking responsibility for the life you've _chosen_ to lead, you hide behind your guns and your bodyguards and won't think twice about killing anyone who gets in your way. You're the kind of man who would shoot down an unarmed man in cold blood. Dante's the kind of man who's covering for your pathetic ass so your other kids don't have to suffer any more for you being the bastard that you are. Walking away from the son you almost killed would be the only decent thing you've done in your life. Just leave him the hell alone," Lulu finished on an angry breath. She'd unleashed on Sonny plenty of times in the past three weeks to the point where she had thought she had released all the anger inside of her but each time she even looked at him, she felt sick with disgust inside all over again.

Sonny sighed and hesitated another minute. Dante stared at Lulu in amazement and squeezed her hand gently. Finally, Sonny backed towards the door. "I'm sorry," he finished lamely before walking out.

"You are amazing," Dante said just barely above a whisper.

Lulu squeezed into the bed beside him, still keeping his hand in hers as she lowered her head onto his shoulder. "You're a good man, Dante. It doesn't matter if you share his DNA because you'll always be more than what he could ever hope to be himself."

Dante felt contentment fill him. "You are something else, Lulu Spencer."

Lulu smiled and turned her head to place a kiss on his lips. The door opened again and they both sighed. Dr. Webber smiled at them as he stepped inside. "Sorry to interrupt."

"We're used to it," Dante responded.

"Well, I come bearing good news."

"I think I could use some of that," Dante said as Lulu got off the bed and moved aside so Dr. Webber could look him over.

"Your vitals have been good, your therapy is going well, incision healing nicely...Recovery is going a lot smoother than other similar cases I've seen. I think we can cut you loose from here unless you've gotten attached to the place and want to stick around for another few days. I'm sure Nurse Johnson-"

"No. I'm good, Doc. Get me out of here," Dante said quickly, making Lulu laugh.

Dr. Webber smiled again as he jotted a few notes down on his clipboard. When he looked up again, his face was more serious. "However...If you're released from here, you need to understand you're not home free yet. You need to take it easy. No overdoing it. No heavy lifting, exercise limited to what you've been doing in therapy, keeping up with all scheduled follow-up visits."

Dante nodded his understanding. He would agree to anything to finally get out of this hospital room. Finally try to move on with his life, one he would make sure included Lulu.

"I won't let him out of my sight," Lulu promised. Dante raised his eyebrows at her and she winked at him, making him laugh. It felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and he knew he owed that feeling to the woman standing beside him.

Satisfied, Dr. Webber said, "I will go get started on the paperwork."

* * *

Lulu pushed open the door to Dante's apartment and kept one arm wrapped loosely around his waist just in case he needed any extra support. He moved slowly and seemed to be doing okay but was noticeably exhausted. She kicked the door shut and followed him over to the bed, helping him shrug off his jacket.

"Feeling a little deja vu," he smiled at her as he laid back on the bed with a sigh. "A few months ago I was having to practically carry you in here."

"Mmm...too bad I was too drugged to remember that one."

As he made himself comfortable, Lulu caught the slightly wicked glint that passed over his face and reflected in his eyes that made her heart stutter just a little bit. She had gotten to the point where she just couldn't imagine how incomplete her life would be without Dante a part of it now and never wanted to find out. She slipped out of her own coat and when he kept looking at her like she was something he wanted to devour, she finally said, "What?" in a voice that definitely came out a little more breathless than she intended.

"Oh....I was just thinking about how much you wanted to jump my bones that day."

Lulu let out a quick laugh and just shook her head.

"You'll wound me if you try to deny it. And my heart just can't take another trauma."

Lulu slowly walked to the foot of the bed, tilting her head a little as she slowly moved her eyes up and down his body before landing back on his eyes.

"Is that how you want to play this, Officer?" She deliberately licked her lips and smiled when she saw Dante shift a little uncomfortably in the bed.

Dante forced himself to swallow around the lump in his throat as he felt himself grow hard just looking at her, imagining everything that tongue could do to him. How the tables so easily turn, he thought to himself.

"Come here," he said a little bit huskily.

Ignoring that, Lulu unhooked the first few buttons of her sweater. Loving the sudden urge of empowerment she felt, she placed first one knee on the bed and then the other. "It's suddenly crossed my mind that you're just a little bit helpless right now."

"Why don't you crawl on up here and see just how helpless I am, sweetheart?"

Lulu just smiled seductively as she undid the rest of the buttons and slipped the sweater off her shoulders, revealing perfect skin covered entirely too much by the black camisole that hugged every extraordinary curve. "I'm going to do more than just jump your bones."

Dante lifted his eyes to the ceiling and prayed for mercy or he knew he would be finished before he even started. When his eyes met Lulu's again, she was moving towards him, her knees straddling his legs as she crawled her way up his body. She lowered herself until her bottom was pressed firmly against the erection straining his pants and she was leaning over him. He let out a small grunt as he cursed the clothing that separated them. Because she was now in reach, he lifted both hands to cup her face, letting his hands keep moving until his fingers were running through her hair and then briefly massaging her scalp. Fists tightening around her hair, he brought her mouth down until it crushed over his. Lips parted and tongues explored. Dante let one of his hands wander down Lulu's back lingering around the bare skin above her cami and then up to her neck. He felt her shiver and fall down harder against him. His short intake of breath at the sudden pressure against his chest had Lulu's eyes opening and immediately flashing concern as she shifted her weight more to the side and off the center of his chest.

"I'm sorry," she whispered against his lips. He just shook his head and took her lips in another kiss, slower and deeper and despite the instinct to close their eyes, they kept them open and locked on each other the entire time.

Lulu pulled back all of a sudden and narrowed her eyes. "Where's your phone?"

It took Dante a minute to clear his head. "Pocket."

She kept her eyes on his as her hand slipped down and inside the pocket of his jeans. She pulled out the phone and then broke her gaze while she went to turn it off.

"No interruptions," she said. "Just us."

"Just can't resist me, huh?"

"You sure it's not the other way around?" she asked and leaned forward even more to try and drop the phone on the nightstand by the bed.

"It's a draw," she heard Dante say and then her breath released on a gasp, the phone dropping to the floor, as Dante smoothly used her position to slide a hand underneath her cami, lifting a breast free and rubbing his thumb over her nipple.

"Not completely helpless, am I?" he said on a grin. He moved his hands to her waist only long enough to bring her forward even more so she was now straddling his stomach, making her much more accessible for what he had in mind. Dante leaned forward and licked around her nipple before taking her breast as fully into his mouth as he could. Lulu moaned, her eyes closed, and she found herself gripping the headboard tightly with her hands as Dante worked his magic with his tongue and teeth, moving from one breast to the other. Each stroking, licking, sucking, biting motion bringing fresh stabs of arousal to her very center. Dante started lifting the camisole up her body. She released the headboard and helped him take it all the way off and throw it to the side. Dante was momentarily stunned by the absolute perfection of her and the driving need to see all of her, have all of her.

When he went to unbutton her jeans she shifted away with a smile and a slow breath as she tried to clear her head. As much as she desperately needed a release for the passion that was near exploding inside of her, another part wanted to draw this out for as long as possible. Never in her life had she felt this alive.

She slid back down his body just enough until she could reach for the bottom of the gray t-shirt he wore. She began to draw it slowly up his body. He carefully lifted himself up enough so she could draw the shirt over his head. Just as carefully he eased himself back down and watched Lulu's every move. He saw a flash of something on her face as her eyes moved over his chest.

Lulu's eyes lingered on the small bandage that still covered the incision. Another reminder of just how close she came to losing him. She tried to shake away the thought of that and the tears that now threatened at the corners of her eyelids. She looked back up into this eyes and started to feel a little more grounded. Her hands moved to carefully remove the bandage from his chest. He raised his eyebrows but didn't say anything as she discarded the bandage and stared at the wound, still red and puckered, but healing. She leaned down to place a soft kiss on his lips and then let her mouth start making its way down his body, kissing his neck and then trailing down his chest, her tongue stroking over one of his nipples. She felt his muscles tense underneath her palms, the knowledge that she was having an effect on him urging her on even more.

She made her way across his chest and placed gentle kisses around the incision. Dante gritted his teeth, his erection painfully hardening even more at the soothing and erotic sensation of Lulu's tongue and lips on him. She moved to his other nipple and then circled back around and started down his body again, moving over his stomach and then over to his other scar. She licked at it and added a gentle kiss.

"Careful," Dante said gruffly. "Or I'm going to have to keep hoping for gunshot wounds."

She smiled against his skin, trying to ignore the short burst of panic that thought even caused, and then moved lower until her hands found his jeans. She kept her eyes on him as she unbuttoned them and lowered them along with his boxers down his legs and threw them on the floor. Her hands and mouth trailed up his thighs and then higher. Dante's breath held in his throat as he felt her warm breath on him, groaning when he saw her lick her lips. Lulu let her hand slowly and softly move up and down the length of his erection before drawing him into her mouth. Dante jerked and bit back a curse. His hands moved down and automatically tangled in her hair as she tortured him with her mouth. Only a few short moments later, he tugged at her hair and pulled her back up to him, knowing he could only handle so much.

"Can't wait," he bit out as he captured her lips again. Lulu moaned as she felt Dante's hands moving over her body. He tugged at her pants impatiently. "Off," he muttered.

Lulu let out a short laugh as she broke contact from him just long enough to shed her remaining clothes. Dante felt all his blood rush to his groin at the sight of Lulu naked before him.

"You are so incredibly beautiful," he said just barely above a whisper.

Lulu felt her cheeks flush, both from passion and pleasure at his words as she straddled him once again, positioning herself above his hard length. Slowly...so slowly....she sank down onto him until he was filling her completely. His groan mixed with her moan. Lulu already felt herself begin to tighten. He felt so good inside her and she started to rock against him before raising slightly up and lowering herself again. Her eyes closed in pure bliss and she shivered, her breath hitching when she felt both of his hands all over her breasts, squeezing, stroking, teasing. When one of his hands moved even lower in between their bodies until it found where they were joined, his finger adding additional pleasure to her already overloaded body, she heard herself cry out.

Dante gritted his teeth again as he watched every feeling play out over Lulu's face, saw how her body reacted to him. Frustration at the limitation of his body keeping him from flipping her over so she was underneath him warred with the awe of having Lulu above him driving him to the edge of sanity. Moving both hands to her hips, he took over the pace, their bodies suddenly coming together even more urgently, harder and faster. He knew he was close to his breaking point as he pulled her face down to his. She was careful to avoid the incision as she eagerly met his demanding mouth.

"Come for me," he breathed against her mouth and as if those words alone were enough she felt herself completely shatter against him as her entire body shuddered and she cried out his name. A guttural noise expelled from his throat, the feel of her tightening and clamping around him triggering his own release and he held her tightly as they let go together.

Several long minutes later, their bodies were still feeling the aftereffects, their breathing still somewhat ragged. She was still collapsed on top of him but with most of her weight towards the side of his body. His hand was idly stroking the smooth skin on her hip while one of her hands was gently rubbing his chest close to the incision, her head burrowed in his neck. She lifted her face up towards him.

"I am so completely in love with you," she said quietly.

He sighed, his whole body feeling a sense of peace he hadn't felt in a very long time. It didn't matter what came next as long as she was by his side. He smiled down at her. "After that, I think you're going to be the death of me. Hell of a ride though."

She practically choked on a laugh but kept quiet when his face turned serious. "Every day I fall more in love with you," he said honestly.

And smiling back, she met his waiting lips.

---The End----


End file.
